The present invention relates to a cigarette or cigar lighter for an automobile, and more particularly to a radial travel limiter for socket lances for such lighters.
Various lighters for automotive applications are known, including the lighter shown in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,622,454; 3,955,333; 2,210,025; 2,730,605; 2,180,711; 6,740,850; and 5,493,098.
As taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,098, and as shown in attached FIG. 1 (which comes from the patent), typically cigarette lighters for automobiles comprise a receptacle 10 that includes a socket member or shell 12 that receives the lighter plug. The shell 12 has spring fingers 34 that frictionally engage the lighter plug. The lighter also has a plastic mounting ring 24. During assembly of the automobile, typically, the mounting ring 24 is inserted first. The mounting ring typically has projections which prevent it from being removed without tools once it is inserted into an opening, for example, in the dashboard of the automobile.
As previously mentioned, the lighter socket or shell 12 typically has spring fingers or lances 34 stamped into the metal socket body. The spring fingers are conventionally stamped out of the metal of the socket and are directed slightly radially inwardly. The spring fingers assist in keeping the lighter plug in position, and in particular, exert a frictional force against the lighter plug to keep it in position, specifically when the lighter plug is being energized by electrical current. The spring fingers 34 also provide an electrical path to ground. Once the heating coil of the lighter has been heated sufficiently to cause ignition, a thermally sensitive bimetallic disk or clip converts from a first position to a second position and pops the lighter plug outwardly to a position whereby it is disengaged from the electrical current and ready for use. The spring fingers 34 exert a frictional force to maintain the lighter plug in position and only when the bimetallic disk or clip inverts or changes its position does the lighter plug pop to the slightly outward position in the socket, as it is well known, with the fingers holding the lighter plug in position of the socket.
Sometimes, electrical plugs are inserted into the lighter socket for supplying electrical current to other electrical devices such as a computer, a radio, a television or other automotive accessories such as tire inflators, vacuums, etc. The specifications for the exact sizes of these electrical plugs for these electrical accessories and devices are often not very exact and many times the plugs are poorly made and do not conform to the manufacturer's or the cigarette lighter's size specifications. As a result, particularly when plugs are slightly larger than they should be, the lances or spring fingers are forced radially outwardly and deformed. As a result, the frictional force exerted against the cigarette lighter plug is insufficient to maintain the plug properly in position and/or to allow electrical current to complete a circuit to ground for the lighter plug. This is due to the lances having become deformed and no longer pressing radially inwardly to an extent sufficient to provide electrical contact.